tonight matt took us to cafe juanita for our 9th anniversary dinner.
we ordered a bottle of Buty red blend to drink
course 1:
Crispy Pig Tail with Umbrian Lentils and Sherry Vinegar - - um, that', PIG TAIL!!! and no, it wasn't a springy-straw type thing to pick up with your fingers!
and
Seared Foie Gras with Quince, Candied Ginger and Cocoa nibs
course 2:
matt - zuppa de sera
course 3:
matt- Young Chicken Farcito with sweetbreads, Farro and Chestnuts and Foie Gras Huckleberry Sauce
libby - Rabbit Braised in Arneis with Ligurian Chickpea Crepe, Pancetta and Porcini
course 4:
matt - chocolate hazelnut gelato
served with french press coffee
libby - Picolli Pasticcini; Brutti ma Buoni, Maldon Gianduja Candies, Gnocchi di Latte and Baci di Dama (a selection of small cookies)
served with Spiced Guianduja Hot Cocoa
and then we were brought a glass of Muscato Di Asti after that
Sunday, November 23, 2008
11/08/08 - Chef Renee's Dinner
chef renee from Boat Street Cafe came over and prepared a fantastic dinner for us and 6 other friends.
course 1:
taylor shell fish totten virginica oysters on 1/2 shell w/ spanish olive oil and lemon
and
chicken liver mousse tartines w/ pickeled prunes and dijon
served with domaine de la Quilla Muscadet 2007
course 2:
cinderella pumpkin soup with
BC scallops, crispy leeks, grilled sesame oil
served with Mon Gris Marco Felluga Pinot Grigio 2007
course 3:
roasted duck breast, pickled figs, carrot and potato gratin
served with Hightower Winery Pepperbridge Merlot 2006
course 4:
fall salad
endive, radish, hazelnuts and pickled raisin w/ sheep's milk cheese
served with Bourllion Dorleans Demi Sec Vouvray 2007
course 5:
citrus pound cake
rose poached rhubarb and cream
served with Saracco Moscato Di Asti 2005
BubbleShare: Share photos - Craft Ideas
course 1:
taylor shell fish totten virginica oysters on 1/2 shell w/ spanish olive oil and lemon
and
chicken liver mousse tartines w/ pickeled prunes and dijon
served with domaine de la Quilla Muscadet 2007
course 2:
cinderella pumpkin soup with
BC scallops, crispy leeks, grilled sesame oil
served with Mon Gris Marco Felluga Pinot Grigio 2007
course 3:
roasted duck breast, pickled figs, carrot and potato gratin
served with Hightower Winery Pepperbridge Merlot 2006
course 4:
fall salad
endive, radish, hazelnuts and pickled raisin w/ sheep's milk cheese
served with Bourllion Dorleans Demi Sec Vouvray 2007
course 5:
citrus pound cake
rose poached rhubarb and cream
served with Saracco Moscato Di Asti 2005
BubbleShare: Share photos - Craft Ideas
10/11/08 - Chef Ethan's Dinner
the Best Damn Dinner Party in teh History of Ever pt.2 was held on this day at the home of Matt and Libby.
once again, Chef Ethan Stowell of Seattle's Union, Tavola, and How to Cook a Wolf arrived, prepared, and served a fantastic 6 course dinner!
all wines, with the exception of the prosecco were generously donated by mark ryan winery
photos can be found on my facebook page
course1:
bruschetta with pork liver pate and aged parmigiano reggiano
prosecco
course2:
mediterranean muscles and fregola with fennel, garlic and lemon
2007 viognier
course3:
seared cobia (fish) with roasted peppers, tomatos and garlic
2006 chardonnay??
course4:
strozzapretti, or 'priest strangler' (handmade pasta from tavola), with pork cheek braised in red wine, sage, with paragianno reggiano
2007 dead horse
course5:
seared beef strip sirloin from RR Ranch with sauted pine mushrooms and cauliflower in red wine sauce
2007 long haul
course6:
baked figs with chestnut honey ice cream
then an assortment of ports and after dinner drinks
BubbleShare: Share photos - Craft Ideas
once again, Chef Ethan Stowell of Seattle's Union, Tavola, and How to Cook a Wolf arrived, prepared, and served a fantastic 6 course dinner!
all wines, with the exception of the prosecco were generously donated by mark ryan winery
photos can be found on my facebook page
course1:
bruschetta with pork liver pate and aged parmigiano reggiano
prosecco
course2:
mediterranean muscles and fregola with fennel, garlic and lemon
2007 viognier
course3:
seared cobia (fish) with roasted peppers, tomatos and garlic
2006 chardonnay??
course4:
strozzapretti, or 'priest strangler' (handmade pasta from tavola), with pork cheek braised in red wine, sage, with paragianno reggiano
2007 dead horse
course5:
seared beef strip sirloin from RR Ranch with sauted pine mushrooms and cauliflower in red wine sauce
2007 long haul
course6:
baked figs with chestnut honey ice cream
then an assortment of ports and after dinner drinks
BubbleShare: Share photos - Craft Ideas
10/08/08 - Cafe Juanita
we went to cafe juanita for my 42 birthday dinner. my gosh it was good. sarah gave us the table by the fireplace. the guys at CJ refer to that table as the 'engagement table' since it seems so many young couples get engaged while sitting there. it's probably the best table in the house. followed closely by the table in the corner. and jim was our waiter. i like him. he's helped us enough times i don't think he needs to ask us what we want anymore!
we had a bottle of the grammercy cellars tempernillo (sp?) 2006 - oh my it was great! didn't even need to breath!
split the seared foie gras with peaches, candied ginger and cocoa nibs
matt had teh zuppz de sera (soup of the day)
i had the tagliatelle with rau bolognese - handmade pasta a little wider and flat like fetuccini with wagyu bolognese - oh my
matt had the special - lamb chop with figs and something- but the saddle of lamb which was on the menu had a goat cheese tart which he wanted, so they put that on the plate for him as well
i had the duck breast with something and farrow. oh wow it was great
burnt sugar gelato and coffee for matt
some insanely rich chocolate thing with malt sorbet and cofee for me
and then for my birthday they brought us a glass of muscati d'asti as well.
gosh i love that place!
so we just waddled home, changed clothes - and while i didn't outdo myself, i must admit, man i looked good! and now we're reclining on the couch. and, well, dressed in what i'm currently wearing i still look dam good. at 42 i realize it's been a long time since people have actually stated that. i admit i miss it. but tonight i stopped matt in his tracks as he was getting ready to leave and he made the statement that i looked really beautiful.
he gave me tuplis for my birthday yesterday. pink - for the cause.
we had a bottle of the grammercy cellars tempernillo (sp?) 2006 - oh my it was great! didn't even need to breath!
split the seared foie gras with peaches, candied ginger and cocoa nibs
matt had teh zuppz de sera (soup of the day)
i had the tagliatelle with rau bolognese - handmade pasta a little wider and flat like fetuccini with wagyu bolognese - oh my
matt had the special - lamb chop with figs and something- but the saddle of lamb which was on the menu had a goat cheese tart which he wanted, so they put that on the plate for him as well
i had the duck breast with something and farrow. oh wow it was great
burnt sugar gelato and coffee for matt
some insanely rich chocolate thing with malt sorbet and cofee for me
and then for my birthday they brought us a glass of muscati d'asti as well.
gosh i love that place!
so we just waddled home, changed clothes - and while i didn't outdo myself, i must admit, man i looked good! and now we're reclining on the couch. and, well, dressed in what i'm currently wearing i still look dam good. at 42 i realize it's been a long time since people have actually stated that. i admit i miss it. but tonight i stopped matt in his tracks as he was getting ready to leave and he made the statement that i looked really beautiful.
he gave me tuplis for my birthday yesterday. pink - for the cause.
9/19/08 - The Herbfarm
oh man! what a dinner last saturday! it would've been 'barf-out' time had i not been performing in concert on sunday. so i was really watching my wine and food intake because there was no way i was gong to be able to play if i felt like my tummy was going to explode!
so the herb farm theme this time was 'iron sommalier!' 2 of the stewards - tyson and lisa, went head to head. they both picked a beverage for each course and for some we didn't know who picked which, and then we got to vote. it was quite amusing to say the least!
i think i'll actually enter the menu/program instead of just listing the food courses. so in the words of someone's family member, 'alez cuisine'!
Welcome to the Iron Sommelier (ok, i was misspelling it, sorry)
Welcome to the Herbfarm and the 1st ever Iron Sommelier Competition and Dinner.
Feel the electricity? Under their black suits and calm demeanor, our sommeliers are on edge. They know their moment of reconing drawd near. It's Final Exam time all over. This time, you are the Professor and the Judge. And it's all for you.
Our Sommeliers, Lisa adn Tyson are at the peak of their careers. Have fun as they go head to head, picking wines to pair with the foods on tonightlate summer menu.
Who will be victorious in teh "Blind Monk ROund"? Will the "Limerick Round" lick 'em? The Great Wheel of Wine waits to be spun - chance doles out ten different beverage categories. If bad luck strikes, "The Evil Clown" will leap to the top of the wheel, offering a maze of riddles and odd wines that few have ever tasted.
One dish tonight demands that both a red and white wine be paired. Another sees them rushing to the cellar for the winning wine that must be both red and rare.
It's all in fun. Keep track on your personal balllot in this menu. THen combine your votes for the Official Ballot for your party.
Remeber, the purpose of hte competition is fun. And we're hoping you will vote based on how well you think the wine goes with the food, not necessarily on which wine you initially like better. That's where teh sommelier's skill is called upon tonight!
course1: The Blind Monk round
Two Chicks, Six Sips
soy -and-sake-marinated black cod with sea urchin foam - (yum!)
lavendar-skewered mussels
corn custard with montana paddlefish caviar (way too small a portion!)
we start with 2 very different wines, not knowing who chose which until later.
a. lisa- GonzalezByass Tio Pepe Fino Sherry
b. tyson- Argyle Oregon Brut 2002 (i knew this was tyson's fav, and figured she picked it)
course2: The Limerick round
Dungeness Crab, Limerick Stye
lemon thyme consumme with dungeness crab agnolotti (oooooooh, drool)
each sommelier has paired a wine to this course and must use a limerick to both introduce the wine and sum up.
a. lisa- 2006 Ross Andrew Meadow, WA
b. tyson- 2007 Love and Squalor Riesling, Eola Hills, OR
course3: Chance! The reat Wheel of Wine Round
Adam, Two Eves!
fig-leaf-wrapped coho salmon with tomato-and-coriander jam, roasted in our wood oven
heirloom tomatoes
the luck of the wheel will determine teh category from which each sommelier must choose:
sake, bubbles, white, cider or perry, euro white, rose, beer, the evil clown, northwest white
(we soo wanted evil clown, but alas, no)
a. lisa- rose: 2007 Olympic Cellars Rose the Riveter, Lemberger Rose, Champoux Vineyard, Columbia Valley, OR
b. tyson- sake: Momokawa Silver Sake, Tanrei Junmai Ginjo Sake, OR
course4: Chance! The Red and the White Round
Chicken? Red or White Fight!
(i never had chicken taste so good in my life!)
stokesberry sustainable farm chicken on emmer (farro) and wild mushrooms (lobster and morels)
sommeliers will pair a red and a white wine to this dish
a. lisa- red: 2006 Herbfarm l'Herbe Sauvage Pinot Noir, Willamette Valley, OR
b. tyson- white: 2004 Buty Winery Semillon-Soavignon Blanc, Columbia Valley, WA
course5: The Rare Red Round
Red-Wine-Poached Wagyu Tenderloin (droooooool)
[wagyu tenderloin] on a ninety farms organic veal stew with rosemary
because of their scarcity, the wines will be poured alternately around your table
a. lisa- 1998 Abacela Tempranillo, Estate, OR
b. tyson- 1993 Woodward Canyon Cabernet Sauvignon, Dedication Series
(tyson brought us a glass of 2006 Beauty Designee for this course as well)
-at this point we're to tally our ballots and turn them in
couse6: Optional: The Wine Flight Round
Dueling Housemde Cheese and Charcuterie
small bean salad, pumpkin-spice bread cracker, camember wedge
a. lisa- suggests the Three Muscat Tiers: all australian wines, includes Chambers Rosewood Rare Muscat from 1880
b. tyson- suggests Red ice Wines: less common than white ice wines, created from Syrah and Cabernet Franc
(we opted to get a bottle of bubbly instead)
1990 Bollinger RD - ooo it was good!
course7: Compressed Melon & Shiso Ice
(palatte cleanser)
course8: Dessert: A Somming Up
chocolate-hazelnut doughnut - drool
rose-geranium ice cream with huckleberry sauce
mini parfait: minted lemon verbena gel, white chocolate, and NW raspberry
a selection of coffee and teas
course9: a Selection of Small Treats
carmelized lavender walnuts
smoked tea bavarian
cinnamon-basil dark chocolate petite fours
salt and pepper milk caramels
giner white chocolate wasabi macaroons
a&b. both gals chose: 2006 Bonny Doon Late Harvest Roussanne, Le Vol des Anges (flight of angels)
on teh ballot there's a tally sheet and below that there's a 'resolving voting disputes'
after you've done your own scoring, your party must decide on a common score. if there is a tie or dispute, the rules require you use Rock, Paper, Scissors to settle the matter. (no "hanging chads").
A Brief History of Rock, Paper, Scissors:
The game was known in caveman times simply as "Rock, Rock, Rock". It was banned for centuries due to the fights and frustration it caused. Things got more interesting when the Egyptians descovered papyrus. Scissors was teh invention that finally allowed the game to be played professionally.
for our table, lisa:47, tyson:49
i think of the challenge the best pairing of the night overall went to lisa with her Termpernillo.
the overall score for the night (rounded numbers here)
lisa: 3100
tyson: 3300
it was an absolute blast of a night.
so the herb farm theme this time was 'iron sommalier!' 2 of the stewards - tyson and lisa, went head to head. they both picked a beverage for each course and for some we didn't know who picked which, and then we got to vote. it was quite amusing to say the least!
i think i'll actually enter the menu/program instead of just listing the food courses. so in the words of someone's family member, 'alez cuisine'!
Welcome to the Iron Sommelier (ok, i was misspelling it, sorry)
Welcome to the Herbfarm and the 1st ever Iron Sommelier Competition and Dinner.
Feel the electricity? Under their black suits and calm demeanor, our sommeliers are on edge. They know their moment of reconing drawd near. It's Final Exam time all over. This time, you are the Professor and the Judge. And it's all for you.
Our Sommeliers, Lisa adn Tyson are at the peak of their careers. Have fun as they go head to head, picking wines to pair with the foods on tonightlate summer menu.
Who will be victorious in teh "Blind Monk ROund"? Will the "Limerick Round" lick 'em? The Great Wheel of Wine waits to be spun - chance doles out ten different beverage categories. If bad luck strikes, "The Evil Clown" will leap to the top of the wheel, offering a maze of riddles and odd wines that few have ever tasted.
One dish tonight demands that both a red and white wine be paired. Another sees them rushing to the cellar for the winning wine that must be both red and rare.
It's all in fun. Keep track on your personal balllot in this menu. THen combine your votes for the Official Ballot for your party.
Remeber, the purpose of hte competition is fun. And we're hoping you will vote based on how well you think the wine goes with the food, not necessarily on which wine you initially like better. That's where teh sommelier's skill is called upon tonight!
course1: The Blind Monk round
Two Chicks, Six Sips
soy -and-sake-marinated black cod with sea urchin foam - (yum!)
lavendar-skewered mussels
corn custard with montana paddlefish caviar (way too small a portion!)
we start with 2 very different wines, not knowing who chose which until later.
a. lisa- GonzalezByass Tio Pepe Fino Sherry
b. tyson- Argyle Oregon Brut 2002 (i knew this was tyson's fav, and figured she picked it)
course2: The Limerick round
Dungeness Crab, Limerick Stye
lemon thyme consumme with dungeness crab agnolotti (oooooooh, drool)
each sommelier has paired a wine to this course and must use a limerick to both introduce the wine and sum up.
a. lisa- 2006 Ross Andrew Meadow, WA
b. tyson- 2007 Love and Squalor Riesling, Eola Hills, OR
course3: Chance! The reat Wheel of Wine Round
Adam, Two Eves!
fig-leaf-wrapped coho salmon with tomato-and-coriander jam, roasted in our wood oven
heirloom tomatoes
the luck of the wheel will determine teh category from which each sommelier must choose:
sake, bubbles, white, cider or perry, euro white, rose, beer, the evil clown, northwest white
(we soo wanted evil clown, but alas, no)
a. lisa- rose: 2007 Olympic Cellars Rose the Riveter, Lemberger Rose, Champoux Vineyard, Columbia Valley, OR
b. tyson- sake: Momokawa Silver Sake, Tanrei Junmai Ginjo Sake, OR
course4: Chance! The Red and the White Round
Chicken? Red or White Fight!
(i never had chicken taste so good in my life!)
stokesberry sustainable farm chicken on emmer (farro) and wild mushrooms (lobster and morels)
sommeliers will pair a red and a white wine to this dish
a. lisa- red: 2006 Herbfarm l'Herbe Sauvage Pinot Noir, Willamette Valley, OR
b. tyson- white: 2004 Buty Winery Semillon-Soavignon Blanc, Columbia Valley, WA
course5: The Rare Red Round
Red-Wine-Poached Wagyu Tenderloin (droooooool)
[wagyu tenderloin] on a ninety farms organic veal stew with rosemary
because of their scarcity, the wines will be poured alternately around your table
a. lisa- 1998 Abacela Tempranillo, Estate, OR
b. tyson- 1993 Woodward Canyon Cabernet Sauvignon, Dedication Series
(tyson brought us a glass of 2006 Beauty Designee for this course as well)
-at this point we're to tally our ballots and turn them in
couse6: Optional: The Wine Flight Round
Dueling Housemde Cheese and Charcuterie
small bean salad, pumpkin-spice bread cracker, camember wedge
a. lisa- suggests the Three Muscat Tiers: all australian wines, includes Chambers Rosewood Rare Muscat from 1880
b. tyson- suggests Red ice Wines: less common than white ice wines, created from Syrah and Cabernet Franc
(we opted to get a bottle of bubbly instead)
1990 Bollinger RD - ooo it was good!
course7: Compressed Melon & Shiso Ice
(palatte cleanser)
course8: Dessert: A Somming Up
chocolate-hazelnut doughnut - drool
rose-geranium ice cream with huckleberry sauce
mini parfait: minted lemon verbena gel, white chocolate, and NW raspberry
a selection of coffee and teas
course9: a Selection of Small Treats
carmelized lavender walnuts
smoked tea bavarian
cinnamon-basil dark chocolate petite fours
salt and pepper milk caramels
giner white chocolate wasabi macaroons
a&b. both gals chose: 2006 Bonny Doon Late Harvest Roussanne, Le Vol des Anges (flight of angels)
on teh ballot there's a tally sheet and below that there's a 'resolving voting disputes'
after you've done your own scoring, your party must decide on a common score. if there is a tie or dispute, the rules require you use Rock, Paper, Scissors to settle the matter. (no "hanging chads").
A Brief History of Rock, Paper, Scissors:
The game was known in caveman times simply as "Rock, Rock, Rock". It was banned for centuries due to the fights and frustration it caused. Things got more interesting when the Egyptians descovered papyrus. Scissors was teh invention that finally allowed the game to be played professionally.
for our table, lisa:47, tyson:49
i think of the challenge the best pairing of the night overall went to lisa with her Termpernillo.
the overall score for the night (rounded numbers here)
lisa: 3100
tyson: 3300
it was an absolute blast of a night.
7/22/08 - The Herbfarm
barf barf barf. - 1 for 3 different nights of gastronomic greatness. while matt's mom was in town we went to rovers, cafe juanita and herb farm.
at rovers i had diver scallop, rabbit, alaskan halibut and quail.
at cafe juanita i had the new risotto - squash blossom and a coddled egg included within, foie gras, and guinea fowl.
but the height of barfdom came from hte herb farm...
'coming ashore'
geoduck crudo (sliced geoduck) with sancho leaf, lime basil and paddlefish caviar
sweet pea & buttermilk panna cotta - great texture, but not my fav
papalo-scented dungeoness crab fritter
chilled tomato & roasted pepper soup with pickling cuks and mitsuba
wine: mountain dome sparkling wine, cuvee forte, wa
'the sole oyster'
this was my least fav course
savoy-cabbage-wrapped sole and oyster
with greek myrtle froth and caraway thyme brioche crisp
wine: 2007 ross andrews winery, 'meadow', wa/or
'seattle underground'
new potato & beet ragout with morels, mace and poached egg
wine: 2006 eyrie vineyards estate pinot gris, willamette valley, or
'king of the yukon'
yukon river salmon w/nasturtium-and-holly-basil-stuffed squash blossom and buffalo ricotta
just-warmed sweet 100 tomatoes
wine: 2006 ponzi arneis, aurora estate vineyard, chehalem mts, or AND
wine: 2005 laura volkman pinot noir 'rachel', chehalem mtns, or
'got beef'
wagyu beef tenderloin
wagyu liver gently seared
wagyu oxtail braised
with carmelized cippolini ontions, red and white cauliflower and zataar condiment
wine: 2004 delille cellars maeritage, 'd2', columbia valley, wa
'from the atelier'
bacon-wrapped romaine, chevre-basil toasts and pickeled radish
wine: 1795 maderia *** (more on that soon)
wine: flight of ice wines ***(more on that soon)
'twilight, lake wenatchee'
brown butter & anise hyssop apricot with pineapple sage sorbet
'fruits of summer present'
angelica and tart cherry genoise
peach adn orange balsam thyme crumble
cinnamon basil ice cream
coffee/tea
small treats
wine: vintage 1912 barbeito bual, madeira
ice wines:
2002 anselmann chardonnay eiswein, edesheimer rosengarten, pfalz germany
2004 kiona chenin blanc ice wine, wa state
2002 inniskillin riesling ice wine, ontario canada
1795 madeira:
this was a real special treat. ron (owner) only had 1 bottle and it's $8,000+ and you have tobuy the entire thing! but somehow he got his hands on a couple more bottles so he opened 1 of them! YAY!!!
it's the "oldest wine sold by the glass in the world" we got several pieces of documentation which i'll write from a few of them.
it's a madeira made when george washington was president of hte united states
history of the wine: born on the island of madeira, lived in a castle for 100 years, discovered by a brit.
beethoven was 25 and has just started losing his hearing
davy crockett is 9 years old
the reign of terror is still droppign the guillotine in paris
george washington is president fo hte newly formed united states
there are maybe 20 bottles left in the world
we also received certificates:
herbfarm certificate of experience: 1795 madeira
certified drinker of the last of
the oldest wine in the world
-be in known that [name] did partake, savor, and toast from a glass of the oldest wine in the world, a 1795 barbeito terrantez madeira from the cellar of the herbfarm restaurant, woodinville, washington. be it also recorded that on the date set forth below, this was the oldest known wine being offered by the glass anywhere in the world, being a certified 1795 vintage of america's colonia trade era.
-in testimony whereof, the keeper of said cellar does herby affix his seal and certify that the abaove named experienced a tas of one of hte last bottles of an exceedingly rare wine created when general george washington was still the first president of hte united states
dated this 19th day of july 2008
at the herbfarm
so that was a real big deal.
how could we pass that up? it was SO good - i think it was the best wine i've ever tasted (maybe even better than the 1964 mouton-rothchilde we have???)
we purchased an ounce and split it among the 3 of us. that should give you a hint on how much they're charging for it! :-)
at rovers i had diver scallop, rabbit, alaskan halibut and quail.
at cafe juanita i had the new risotto - squash blossom and a coddled egg included within, foie gras, and guinea fowl.
but the height of barfdom came from hte herb farm...
'coming ashore'
geoduck crudo (sliced geoduck) with sancho leaf, lime basil and paddlefish caviar
sweet pea & buttermilk panna cotta - great texture, but not my fav
papalo-scented dungeoness crab fritter
chilled tomato & roasted pepper soup with pickling cuks and mitsuba
wine: mountain dome sparkling wine, cuvee forte, wa
'the sole oyster'
this was my least fav course
savoy-cabbage-wrapped sole and oyster
with greek myrtle froth and caraway thyme brioche crisp
wine: 2007 ross andrews winery, 'meadow', wa/or
'seattle underground'
new potato & beet ragout with morels, mace and poached egg
wine: 2006 eyrie vineyards estate pinot gris, willamette valley, or
'king of the yukon'
yukon river salmon w/nasturtium-and-holly-basil-stuffed squash blossom and buffalo ricotta
just-warmed sweet 100 tomatoes
wine: 2006 ponzi arneis, aurora estate vineyard, chehalem mts, or AND
wine: 2005 laura volkman pinot noir 'rachel', chehalem mtns, or
'got beef'
wagyu beef tenderloin
wagyu liver gently seared
wagyu oxtail braised
with carmelized cippolini ontions, red and white cauliflower and zataar condiment
wine: 2004 delille cellars maeritage, 'd2', columbia valley, wa
'from the atelier'
bacon-wrapped romaine, chevre-basil toasts and pickeled radish
wine: 1795 maderia *** (more on that soon)
wine: flight of ice wines ***(more on that soon)
'twilight, lake wenatchee'
brown butter & anise hyssop apricot with pineapple sage sorbet
'fruits of summer present'
angelica and tart cherry genoise
peach adn orange balsam thyme crumble
cinnamon basil ice cream
coffee/tea
small treats
wine: vintage 1912 barbeito bual, madeira
ice wines:
2002 anselmann chardonnay eiswein, edesheimer rosengarten, pfalz germany
2004 kiona chenin blanc ice wine, wa state
2002 inniskillin riesling ice wine, ontario canada
1795 madeira:
this was a real special treat. ron (owner) only had 1 bottle and it's $8,000+ and you have tobuy the entire thing! but somehow he got his hands on a couple more bottles so he opened 1 of them! YAY!!!
it's the "oldest wine sold by the glass in the world" we got several pieces of documentation which i'll write from a few of them.
it's a madeira made when george washington was president of hte united states
history of the wine: born on the island of madeira, lived in a castle for 100 years, discovered by a brit.
beethoven was 25 and has just started losing his hearing
davy crockett is 9 years old
the reign of terror is still droppign the guillotine in paris
george washington is president fo hte newly formed united states
there are maybe 20 bottles left in the world
we also received certificates:
herbfarm certificate of experience: 1795 madeira
certified drinker of the last of
the oldest wine in the world
-be in known that [name] did partake, savor, and toast from a glass of the oldest wine in the world, a 1795 barbeito terrantez madeira from the cellar of the herbfarm restaurant, woodinville, washington. be it also recorded that on the date set forth below, this was the oldest known wine being offered by the glass anywhere in the world, being a certified 1795 vintage of america's colonia trade era.
-in testimony whereof, the keeper of said cellar does herby affix his seal and certify that the abaove named experienced a tas of one of hte last bottles of an exceedingly rare wine created when general george washington was still the first president of hte united states
dated this 19th day of july 2008
at the herbfarm
so that was a real big deal.
how could we pass that up? it was SO good - i think it was the best wine i've ever tasted (maybe even better than the 1964 mouton-rothchilde we have???)
we purchased an ounce and split it among the 3 of us. that should give you a hint on how much they're charging for it! :-)
3/5/08 - Cafe Juanita
barf.
i just have to learn to not overindulge so much when dining in my favorite restaurant!
we took our house-sitter to cafe juanita (www.cafejuanita.com) for dinner tonight for taking care of house and the girls while we were in hawai'i. it was an early reservation, but even so dinner lasted 3 hours give or take a few.
we started with aperitivi:
Blood Orange Negroni with Roasted Ennis Hazelnuts - mine had a splash of cointrou to take the slightly bitter edge off
appys consisted of:
Seared Foie Gras with Blood Orange Confit, Candied Ginger and Vin Santo
Salt Cod Fritti with Caper Maionese
baked cippolini with wagyu and parmesan(?) cheese sauce
soup:
matt and kathy had while i just tasted, trying to conserve appetite...
zoupa della sera - which today was a roman strachiatelli (ok, i've no idea how that's spelled) - excellent, as always!
primi:
i had the special Guinea Fowl with Farro, Black Kale and Hazelnut Manderinquat Aigrelette - OMG it was so good!
and matt had the special yellowtail which was fillets, seared, had a puree of white truffle and something.... he says it was delicious.
dolce:
pralus chocolate souffle, of course! and coffee
the gelatto flavor of the day was roasted arborio rice. ROASTED ARBORIO RICE!!!! the stuff you make risotto out of! when Jim told us this we all kind of made a face like 'you got to be kidding!' i asked if we could get a little sample taste of it and he said yes. he brought a little scoop (like a melon ball size) of it with 3 spoons. and you know, it works! there was a taste, a little stronger than 'a hint of' coffee, as well as the crispy bits of rice, but it was quite good!
i guess that's a perk you get when the staff knows you.
in fact we noticed a couple of the wait staff who haven't been there as long as we've actually been going said hello as they walked past us tonight. and jim didn't take our entree order until after our appy, which was a first, although definitly not out of line. wed isn't their most busy night, so they can probably afford to have a few tables only turn once instead of twice. sara of course came by and chated a couple times, asked how our trip to hawai'i was, and commented that we looked pretty tanned.
chef holly was there tonight. she's probably been there on other nights when we've attended but we just didn't pay attention - however she's not usually there on wednesdays. but her sous chef was sick so she had to step in, right? her son oliver was there, too. he was so cute! and so well behaved for being 'stuck at mom's work for the night'! he was hanging out i the kitchen, helping mom and some of the staff. he even sat 1 couple! (ok, not sure if that was an accident or he really knew what he was doing... he is only 6 or 7). but we asked sara if chef had a few minutes we'd love to meet her in person, seeing as we go there all the time and we have exchanged a couple emails about 1 particular recipe matt would like to prepare. (looking for the wild boar to purchase). she seems really nice, we also met her son oliver, and chatted 5 minutes, maybe a little longer, before she went back to the kitchen.
as usual the food was divine, the wine pairing was excellent, and the service beyond reproach.
i ate too much, and am now lolling on the couch, trying not to waddle as i walk, and will probably be in bed asleep before too long...
i just have to learn to not overindulge so much when dining in my favorite restaurant!
we took our house-sitter to cafe juanita (www.cafejuanita.com) for dinner tonight for taking care of house and the girls while we were in hawai'i. it was an early reservation, but even so dinner lasted 3 hours give or take a few.
we started with aperitivi:
Blood Orange Negroni with Roasted Ennis Hazelnuts - mine had a splash of cointrou to take the slightly bitter edge off
appys consisted of:
Seared Foie Gras with Blood Orange Confit, Candied Ginger and Vin Santo
Salt Cod Fritti with Caper Maionese
baked cippolini with wagyu and parmesan(?) cheese sauce
soup:
matt and kathy had while i just tasted, trying to conserve appetite...
zoupa della sera - which today was a roman strachiatelli (ok, i've no idea how that's spelled) - excellent, as always!
primi:
i had the special Guinea Fowl with Farro, Black Kale and Hazelnut Manderinquat Aigrelette - OMG it was so good!
and matt had the special yellowtail which was fillets, seared, had a puree of white truffle and something.... he says it was delicious.
dolce:
pralus chocolate souffle, of course! and coffee
the gelatto flavor of the day was roasted arborio rice. ROASTED ARBORIO RICE!!!! the stuff you make risotto out of! when Jim told us this we all kind of made a face like 'you got to be kidding!' i asked if we could get a little sample taste of it and he said yes. he brought a little scoop (like a melon ball size) of it with 3 spoons. and you know, it works! there was a taste, a little stronger than 'a hint of' coffee, as well as the crispy bits of rice, but it was quite good!
i guess that's a perk you get when the staff knows you.
in fact we noticed a couple of the wait staff who haven't been there as long as we've actually been going said hello as they walked past us tonight. and jim didn't take our entree order until after our appy, which was a first, although definitly not out of line. wed isn't their most busy night, so they can probably afford to have a few tables only turn once instead of twice. sara of course came by and chated a couple times, asked how our trip to hawai'i was, and commented that we looked pretty tanned.
chef holly was there tonight. she's probably been there on other nights when we've attended but we just didn't pay attention - however she's not usually there on wednesdays. but her sous chef was sick so she had to step in, right? her son oliver was there, too. he was so cute! and so well behaved for being 'stuck at mom's work for the night'! he was hanging out i the kitchen, helping mom and some of the staff. he even sat 1 couple! (ok, not sure if that was an accident or he really knew what he was doing... he is only 6 or 7). but we asked sara if chef had a few minutes we'd love to meet her in person, seeing as we go there all the time and we have exchanged a couple emails about 1 particular recipe matt would like to prepare. (looking for the wild boar to purchase). she seems really nice, we also met her son oliver, and chatted 5 minutes, maybe a little longer, before she went back to the kitchen.
as usual the food was divine, the wine pairing was excellent, and the service beyond reproach.
i ate too much, and am now lolling on the couch, trying not to waddle as i walk, and will probably be in bed asleep before too long...
2/3/08 - The Herbfarm
another gastronomic entry for your delight.
we met some friends at the herbfarm for dinner last night. it was the 1st dinner we'd attended under the new executive chef keith luce. it was pretty good, although i was a bit sad. i had a hard time enjoying it as i couldn't smell anything (all stuffed up) and thus didn't have much taste - still getting over 'the cough'. in fact my last 3 courses i just had them box up so i could bring home. i didn't even see them!
the theme for the dinner was 'dinner for red-heads'. they always have this one around valentine's day. usually chef selects the menu and the somaliers have to match wines to the courses, but for this dinner the somaliers get to select their favorite red wines, and then chef has to figure out what to prepare for the match! talk about turning the tables!
it's kind of nice going there now. carrie, ron, and angela recognize us. in fact angela nearly pounced on us when we walked in (but we didn't mind becuase she was offering hot spiced cider). after chatting a few minutes with her we went down to the wine cellar and talked to ron for a few minutes. angela said things were different with chef luce, not that that was good nor bad, and that maybe the biggest change she noticed was in ordering meats. instead of (for example) just getting the ribs and shoulder of the beef they were getting and using teh entire cow. so that means they're serving more 'out there' stuff like tripe, tongue, brain etc. hhhmmmm. they seat you by table. carrie was on autopilot and asked for our name, but before i could even get 'stoecker' out she was like "oh, hi, here you go, your usual table."
so here's what was on the menu:
course1: The Red Sea
Montana paddlefish caviar on quail egg benedict
rosemary-skewered basil-fed snail with a dried strawbetty vinaigrette
albacore tuna, ver jus, and huckleberry ceviche with parsnip crisps
herbfarm indigo oregon sparkling pinot noir ( a deep red wine champaigne)
course2: Lightly Smoked Sablefish
smoked sablefish - or black cod - with beet sauce
hazlenut-dusted crispy skin
douglass fir salt
2004 mccrea cellars counoise, ciel du cheval vineyard
course3: Shellfish convention
puget sound bivalves in a pinot noir and brown butter sauce (razor clams, clams, muscles, oyster htere might've been another, but no geoduck)
morel custard (or in my case lemon thyme custard) with scallop and toped with english thyme puff pastry
2005 le cadeau willamette valley pinot noir, rocheux
so far the favorite wine
course4: oregon black truffle, squash and potato gratin
with housemade bacon and sour cherry-sage gastrique
2005 benson vineyards sangiovese, lake chelan
now the favorite wine
and oh my gosh this was fantastic!!!!
course5: sorbet of cabernet franc
ok this was more a palett cleanser
sorbet with warm rose geranium syrup
course 6: red roosevelt elk
winter-herb-and-walnut-crusted elk medallion
on a stew of elk shoulder, sweetbreads and cellared vegetables
2005 grammercy cellars syrah, walla walla
now our favorite wine
course7: river's edge "up in smoke" cheese
river's edge oregon goat cheese in smoked maple leaves
(don't eat the maple leaf)
with pickled lade apple terrine adn warm emmer biscuit
we chose to include a wine with this course:
1862 madeira sercial - yum! 1 oz pouring
tyson, 1 of the somaliers, also brought us 2 each of the following to try as well. we were actually looking at this 1 bottle and asked what it was earlier in the evening. it was the sam adams barley port 'utopias'. it was surprisingly good! we like sam adams ales and lagers, but never knew they had done anything like this. it was golden in color, and had stiff legs. smelled strong to me, like brandy and congnacs, and warmed you up as it went down like they do. but it's taste was total port. i'm thinking we're planning on getting a bottle of this stuff! we actually asked for a 1oz pouring for each couple on that one as well. the other drink she brought us was also good. it was an italian baked amarone. real dark almost balsamic in color, again fairly stiff legs, and tasted more port than wine. but as we really like a couple of hte amarones, and ports, the idea of mixing the 2 isn't really much of a stretch.
course8: pair of pared pears
oregon d'anjou pear tart
comice pear and red wine sorbet
with lemon-geranium adn rosehip foam
course9: brewed coffee, tea and a selection of small treats
spiced almond biscotti
vanilla palmier
bay and carmelized rice dark chocolate truffle
milk chocolate rosemary toffee
coff-cocoa nib white chocolate truffle
sherry and port (?) flavored jellies (think apples & cotlets)
course10: obstacle course to the town car for our ride home
:-)
we met some friends at the herbfarm for dinner last night. it was the 1st dinner we'd attended under the new executive chef keith luce. it was pretty good, although i was a bit sad. i had a hard time enjoying it as i couldn't smell anything (all stuffed up) and thus didn't have much taste - still getting over 'the cough'. in fact my last 3 courses i just had them box up so i could bring home. i didn't even see them!
the theme for the dinner was 'dinner for red-heads'. they always have this one around valentine's day. usually chef selects the menu and the somaliers have to match wines to the courses, but for this dinner the somaliers get to select their favorite red wines, and then chef has to figure out what to prepare for the match! talk about turning the tables!
it's kind of nice going there now. carrie, ron, and angela recognize us. in fact angela nearly pounced on us when we walked in (but we didn't mind becuase she was offering hot spiced cider). after chatting a few minutes with her we went down to the wine cellar and talked to ron for a few minutes. angela said things were different with chef luce, not that that was good nor bad, and that maybe the biggest change she noticed was in ordering meats. instead of (for example) just getting the ribs and shoulder of the beef they were getting and using teh entire cow. so that means they're serving more 'out there' stuff like tripe, tongue, brain etc. hhhmmmm. they seat you by table. carrie was on autopilot and asked for our name, but before i could even get 'stoecker' out she was like "oh, hi, here you go, your usual table."
so here's what was on the menu:
course1: The Red Sea
Montana paddlefish caviar on quail egg benedict
rosemary-skewered basil-fed snail with a dried strawbetty vinaigrette
albacore tuna, ver jus, and huckleberry ceviche with parsnip crisps
herbfarm indigo oregon sparkling pinot noir ( a deep red wine champaigne)
course2: Lightly Smoked Sablefish
smoked sablefish - or black cod - with beet sauce
hazlenut-dusted crispy skin
douglass fir salt
2004 mccrea cellars counoise, ciel du cheval vineyard
course3: Shellfish convention
puget sound bivalves in a pinot noir and brown butter sauce (razor clams, clams, muscles, oyster htere might've been another, but no geoduck)
morel custard (or in my case lemon thyme custard) with scallop and toped with english thyme puff pastry
2005 le cadeau willamette valley pinot noir, rocheux
so far the favorite wine
course4: oregon black truffle, squash and potato gratin
with housemade bacon and sour cherry-sage gastrique
2005 benson vineyards sangiovese, lake chelan
now the favorite wine
and oh my gosh this was fantastic!!!!
course5: sorbet of cabernet franc
ok this was more a palett cleanser
sorbet with warm rose geranium syrup
course 6: red roosevelt elk
winter-herb-and-walnut-crusted elk medallion
on a stew of elk shoulder, sweetbreads and cellared vegetables
2005 grammercy cellars syrah, walla walla
now our favorite wine
course7: river's edge "up in smoke" cheese
river's edge oregon goat cheese in smoked maple leaves
(don't eat the maple leaf)
with pickled lade apple terrine adn warm emmer biscuit
we chose to include a wine with this course:
1862 madeira sercial - yum! 1 oz pouring
tyson, 1 of the somaliers, also brought us 2 each of the following to try as well. we were actually looking at this 1 bottle and asked what it was earlier in the evening. it was the sam adams barley port 'utopias'. it was surprisingly good! we like sam adams ales and lagers, but never knew they had done anything like this. it was golden in color, and had stiff legs. smelled strong to me, like brandy and congnacs, and warmed you up as it went down like they do. but it's taste was total port. i'm thinking we're planning on getting a bottle of this stuff! we actually asked for a 1oz pouring for each couple on that one as well. the other drink she brought us was also good. it was an italian baked amarone. real dark almost balsamic in color, again fairly stiff legs, and tasted more port than wine. but as we really like a couple of hte amarones, and ports, the idea of mixing the 2 isn't really much of a stretch.
course8: pair of pared pears
oregon d'anjou pear tart
comice pear and red wine sorbet
with lemon-geranium adn rosehip foam
course9: brewed coffee, tea and a selection of small treats
spiced almond biscotti
vanilla palmier
bay and carmelized rice dark chocolate truffle
milk chocolate rosemary toffee
coff-cocoa nib white chocolate truffle
sherry and port (?) flavored jellies (think apples & cotlets)
course10: obstacle course to the town car for our ride home
:-)
12/7/07- Cafe Juanita
barf.
and i mean barf in a good way. i've eaten so much i feel like i'm going to puke... i can only imagine what matt feels like!
on the way home from rehearsal last night i had the idea of going to cafe juantia for dinner tonight so neigher of us would have to cook - especially since we still can't get downstairs with everythign piled up in the utility room and den! so i called and we got the early seating we wanted tonight. it's been almost 2 months since we were there last. it was fun seeing sara again. we learned that meagan left (she was the somalier) to work for some wine distribution place - good for her! bad for CJ. oh well. anyway, sarah was eager to hear about our turkey-day dinner since we had asked her how to reach chef holly about obtaining boar or pork cheeks for 1 of hte Tday dishes (which we ended up scraping as we couldn't do a practice on it). holly did answer, but we haven't had a chance to purchase and try anything.
anyway, the goose was off the menu which we were a little sad to see, we both wanted to try it. but the wagyu-stuffed cippolini w/parmesan 'sauce' was back on. let's see:
appetizer: seared foie gras with coco nibs, carmelized giner and persimmons - shared
wine: mark ryan's water witch
primi: stratiotella (ok i have no idea how it's spelled) soup - matt
wagyu stuffed cippoilni - me
secondi: braised porl cheeks with semolina cakes - both of us
side: mantecato risotto (risotto prepared in a wine sauce with parmesan and balsamic) - boxed off the cooktop and brought home as a side to my leftover cheeks for tomorrow.
dolce: chocolate chip gelato - matt
pralus chocolate souffle with creme englais (sp?) - me
coffee - shared
i'm so full i can only just lay here and be a vege while i type and watch the hockey game i had taped.
we picked out a new carpet yesterday - a very dense plush that's 'black' - ought to look charcoal once it's installed. the guy who measures left a message last night while we were at rehearsal and hasn't called back yet :-(. hopefully he'll be here monday am and we can also get the carpet ordered as well. if we do that we're looking at the following monday for install at earliest. after seeing what it looked like down there today i agree with matt - just keep the girls up here until after the carpet's in and we've re-positioned the furniture. while it's now dry down there it is sitll quite a mess! all the furniture crammed into 2.5 rooms!
ok, i'm going to roll over and rub the belly for a while...
oh, it was a year ago today i was officially diagnosed with breast cancer. like i'm going to forget.
and i mean barf in a good way. i've eaten so much i feel like i'm going to puke... i can only imagine what matt feels like!
on the way home from rehearsal last night i had the idea of going to cafe juantia for dinner tonight so neigher of us would have to cook - especially since we still can't get downstairs with everythign piled up in the utility room and den! so i called and we got the early seating we wanted tonight. it's been almost 2 months since we were there last. it was fun seeing sara again. we learned that meagan left (she was the somalier) to work for some wine distribution place - good for her! bad for CJ. oh well. anyway, sarah was eager to hear about our turkey-day dinner since we had asked her how to reach chef holly about obtaining boar or pork cheeks for 1 of hte Tday dishes (which we ended up scraping as we couldn't do a practice on it). holly did answer, but we haven't had a chance to purchase and try anything.
anyway, the goose was off the menu which we were a little sad to see, we both wanted to try it. but the wagyu-stuffed cippolini w/parmesan 'sauce' was back on. let's see:
appetizer: seared foie gras with coco nibs, carmelized giner and persimmons - shared
wine: mark ryan's water witch
primi: stratiotella (ok i have no idea how it's spelled) soup - matt
wagyu stuffed cippoilni - me
secondi: braised porl cheeks with semolina cakes - both of us
side: mantecato risotto (risotto prepared in a wine sauce with parmesan and balsamic) - boxed off the cooktop and brought home as a side to my leftover cheeks for tomorrow.
dolce: chocolate chip gelato - matt
pralus chocolate souffle with creme englais (sp?) - me
coffee - shared
i'm so full i can only just lay here and be a vege while i type and watch the hockey game i had taped.
we picked out a new carpet yesterday - a very dense plush that's 'black' - ought to look charcoal once it's installed. the guy who measures left a message last night while we were at rehearsal and hasn't called back yet :-(. hopefully he'll be here monday am and we can also get the carpet ordered as well. if we do that we're looking at the following monday for install at earliest. after seeing what it looked like down there today i agree with matt - just keep the girls up here until after the carpet's in and we've re-positioned the furniture. while it's now dry down there it is sitll quite a mess! all the furniture crammed into 2.5 rooms!
ok, i'm going to roll over and rub the belly for a while...
oh, it was a year ago today i was officially diagnosed with breast cancer. like i'm going to forget.
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